Spectrum Silvercoats Fusing Experiment

J. Savina · Post by **J. Savina** » Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:03 pm

I want to experiment with some Spectrum silvercoat and clear glass. Has anyone tried this before? Am I going to blow up my kiln trying? What's the worst case senario? Will the metalic surface react weird with the heat? I'm not a rocket scientist, but I really want to try this. If anyone has any reason why I should not do this will you please let me know? I'm going to wait till Monday to try this. Thanks .
J.

Brock · Post by **Brock** » Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:09 pm

No experience with it, but it's not listed under System 96 products. I doubt that it's silver, and I doubt that it will be a pleasing experience. Brock

Linda Hassur · Post by **Linda Hassur** » Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:36 pm

I saw this at a glass show and Spectrum people told me it wasn't meant for kiln work and the metalic surface would burn off. I didn't get any because of what they said. Linda

J. Savina · Post by **J. Savina** » Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:44 pm

Thanks Linda and Brock. I still want to see if I can fuse a clear piece of glass over it. I'm figuring that if the Dichroic coating looks pretty kewl with clear over it, maybe the silvercoat will be okay too. I feel like being a pioneer this weekend. Don't wish me good luck, cuz luck is not a factor.
J.

Tony Smith · Post by **Tony Smith** » Sat Sep 06, 2003 6:16 pm

The Spectrum Silvercoat is mirrored spectrum glass. If you heat it to fusing temps, the silver burns out leaving a putrid yellow silver stain on the glass... amazingly, some of the back coating remains.

Tony

J. Savina · Post by **J. Savina** » Sat Sep 06, 2003 6:21 pm

Tony Smith wrote:The Spectrum Silvercoat is mirrored spectrum glass. If you heat it to fusing temps, the silver burns out leaving a putrid yellow silver stain on the glass... amazingly, some of the back coating remains.

Tony

Thanks for the input Tony. Have you tried it with clear glass on top? Or did you just put it in the kiln with nothing over it? Just curious. J.

Tony Smith · Post by **Tony Smith** » Sat Sep 06, 2003 7:44 pm

I tried to slump a piece of it, and got distracted while my controllerless kiln kept climbing on its merry way to 1400 degrees. Since you'll have to be near 1400 to even tack fuse, I know that the mirrorcoat just won't make it... I still don't know if it can be slumped successfully since I haven't tried it again.

Tony

Diane Trepanier · Post by **Diane Trepanier** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 6:37 am

Just a thought, what if you sprayed/painted the silvercoat with spray A, super spray or one of the others out there first? Than cap with a clear coat. The thin coat of spray may seal the silvercoat in. Just an idea.

Tony Smith · Post by **Tony Smith** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 10:48 am

The silvercoat is just like any other mirror: a microscopic layer of silver applied to the back surface of the glass covered with some sort of protective coating. There's no way for an overspray to get to the silver.

Tony

Brock · Post by **Brock** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 10:51 am

Tony Smith wrote:The silvercoat is just like any other mirror: a microscopic layer of silver applied to the back surface of the glass covered with some sort of protective coating. There's no way for an overspray to get to the silver.

Tony

I'm amazed. I thought it would just be some kind of reflective paint. Brock

Barbara Muth · Post by **Barbara Muth** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 12:56 pm

I seem to recall a discussion on the old board about firing mirrored glass, that something that was used to mirror the glass emitted toxic fumes when fired. If I am remembering correctly (couldn't find the thread), wouldn't that make firing this glass hazardous?

Barbara

Brock · Post by **Brock** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 1:30 pm

Yeah, we're back to the toxic fumes again. Brock

Barbara Muth · Post by **Barbara Muth** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 5:39 pm

am I remembering wrong Brock? As I recall it had something to do with whatever was used to back the silver in mirrors. I could be wrong though. It happens.

Barbara

Brock · Post by **Brock** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 5:41 pm

Barbara Muth wrote:am I remembering wrong Brock? As I recall it had something to do with whatever was used to back the silver in mirrors. I could be wrong though. It happens.

Barbara

Never! Yeah, I vaguely recall that.

Bert Weiss · Post by **Bert Weiss** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 9:43 pm

One thing you need to worry about is silver staining your kiln shelf. If it does every piece of glass that you fire on that shelf will get a yellow spot, for a long time.

When glass stainers use silver stain, it is fired on a thick bed of whiting which is tossed out after each firing. The bed of whiting is thick enough so that the silver doesn't get to the shelf.

The toxic fumes come from the funky stuff that they back mirrors with.

2 way mirrors are made with a pyrolytic coating that can be fired to slump temps. I don't think there is silver used, but I'm not sure.

Brock · Post by **Brock** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 9:57 pm

. . . One thing you need to worry about is silver staining your kiln shelf. If it does every piece of glass that you fire on that shelf will get a yellow spot, for a long time. . .

Oh yeah. It'll go right through kiln wash and ruin the shelf. Brock

Lynne Chappell · Post by **Lynne Chappell** » Tue Sep 09, 2003 12:19 am

Hey Tony! Just couldn't resist trying it, eh? I'm really surprised that the backing didn't burn right off - its just some kind of painted on coating.

I would also worry about fumes, but I think the worst fumes are when they're applying the silver to the glass - the carrier.

Tony Smith · Post by **Tony Smith** » Tue Sep 09, 2003 6:18 am

Lynne Chappell wrote:Hey Tony! Just couldn't resist trying it, eh? I'm really surprised that the backing didn't burn right off - its just some kind of painted on coating.

I would also worry about fumes, but I think the worst fumes are when they're applying the silver to the glass - the carrier.

You know me... forever the experimentalist... gotta try EVERYTHING. Next, I'm going to see if I can slump plastic. Hmmmmm

The fumes weren't bad and I'm still here to talk about it. The mirroring process uses nitric acid or some variant thereof... and that's nasty. But it is strictly a processing chemical. There's none left after silvering.

Tony

Brock · Post by **Brock** » Tue Sep 09, 2003 9:43 am

. . . You know me... forever the experimentalist... gotta try EVERYTHING. Next, I'm going to see if I can slump plastic. Hmmmmm . . .

You can. A friend of mine slumps small plexiglass mock-ups of larger glass sculptures. Approx. 300F in your stove. Brock

Tony Smith · Post by **Tony Smith** » Tue Sep 09, 2003 10:44 am

Brock wrote:. . . You know me... forever the experimentalist... gotta try EVERYTHING. Next, I'm going to see if I can slump plastic. Hmmmmm . . .

You can. A friend of mine slumps small plexiglass mock-ups of larger glass sculptures. Approx. 300F in your stove. Brock

So, do you think 1200F was too hot?